Clam-shell bucket.



PATBNTED MAR. 24, 1903.

B. PQATHERTON. GLAM SHELL BUGKET.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 31, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

no MODEL.

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No. 7,223,571. PATBNTED MAR. Z4, 1903. E. F. ATHER'ION.

GLAM SHELL BUCKET.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY s1, 1902.

Io MonnL. 2 sums-SHEET z.

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EDMOND F. ATHERTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

cLAM-SHELL BUCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,571, dated March 24, 1903. Application filed July 3l, 1902. Serial No. 117.801. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDMoND F. ATHERTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clam Shell Buckets, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such' as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its objects particularly to provide mechanism for iucreasingthe extent of separation of the cutting edges of the bucket-shells when opened to engage thesurface of the material which it isdesigned to lift, and has further reference to power mechanism for closing the bucket together, by which means the gripping area of the Valves is much increased and more force is employed to close them upon the load.

My invention consists in the main frame portions and bucket-shafts mounted to move horizonally therein,with the operating-links and disk -and driving-gears therefor,with the details of combination and arrangement of the various parts, as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end view of the bucket and its accompanying mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, showing the driving-gears and frame in vertical central section. Fig. 3 is a side view of the bucket with the shells opened widely and ready to operate upon the material below to receive its load, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bucket and its frame.

In the views, 1 is a sheet-metal frame in which are inserted the shafts 2 and 3 of the pinions 4 and spur-gears 5, by Ineans of which power is applied to close the bucket. The shells 6 and 7 are pivoted or hinged at their upper and outer edges to the lower extremities of the arms 8, which at their upper ends are pivoted upon the transverse hanger-shaft 9, provided with an eye 10,in which the holding rope or chain is attached, which is balanced in the usual manner by counterweight. (Notshown in the drawings.)

11 is the hoisting and lowering cable. This is secured at 12 to the rim of the pulley 13, which is mounted rigidly upon the shaft 2 and rotates the shaft to close the shells when the bucket is hoisted. This result is accomplished by means of the links 14 and 15, pivoted to the gear-disks, upon opposite sides of the center of the disks, at their inner extremities at 16 and at their outer extremities to the transverse shafts 17, secured in bearings 18 near the upper and inner edges of'the shells. These shafts move in horizontal slots 19 in the frame l.

It will readily be seen from Fig. 3 that the gear-disk revolves to unwind the cable 11.

-The disk will also rotate,and the links will Ybe brought together until their pivot Vattachments to the disk 5 will pass one another and the shells will close, as in Fig. 1.

To open the shells'and rewind the hoistingcable upon the sheave, chains 21 are shown secured to the hanger-shaft 9 and to the sides of the sheave at their respective extremities. As the frame rises these chains are wound about the hub of the sheave, asin Fig. 1, so that when the hoisting-rope is released to lower the bucket the weight of the frame will lower it beyond the pivotal points of the connecting-arms and shells, and the chain will rotate the shea ve to rewind the hoisting-cable thereon, and the links pivoted to the disk will separate and push apart the shells until they lie fully opened, as seen in Fig. 3, ready to fall into the material to be excavated.

The advantages of this device are found in the extreme power obtained by means of the pinion and spur-wheel, by means of which the edges of the shells can be driven into the excavation. Again, the-vertical position of the cutting edges enhances their power of penetrating and gathering material, and the long curve taken by the edge of the shell in closing insures a full load, land the full rectangular shape of the bucket adapts it to a much larger load of greater cubical measurement than can be approached by the clamshell form in common use.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is A 1. In combination,in an excavating-bucket, a frame and driving-shaft and pinion in said frame, a driven disk and gear and shaft therefor in sa-id frame, a sheave on the pinionshaft, a hoisting-rope on said sheave secured IOO thereto, transverse shafts mounted in horizontal slots in said frame, bucket-shells pivoted to said shafts near their upper and inner edges, arms to which the upper and outer corners of the shells are pivoted, links connecting the disk and pivot-shafts, a hanger-shaft to which the said arms are secured, and achain connecting the hanger-shaft and pinion-shaft, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a frame, bucket-shells, separable pivot connections therefor with the frame, a hanger-shaft, arms connecting said shaft and the outer corners of the shells, and a power device for bringing together said shells when open consisting of gear and pinion shafts in the frame, pinions and gears on said shafts, a sheave ou the pinionshaft, a hoisting-cable secured in the periphery of the sheave, a disk on the gear-shaft and links connesting said disk respectively with the sepa- 2o EDMOND F. ATHERTON.

Witnesses;

WM. M. MONROE, GEO. O. WILLET. 

